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Hero Honda to unveil new identity

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Hero Honda logoThe firm will officially announce new brand image details next month in London

This August Hero Honda will not remain India’s largest two-wheeler manufacturer… technically speaking. What we mean is that the two-wheeler giant will be changing its brand identity. Like we had disclosed earlier, after confirming to part ways with technology partner, Honda Motors Japan, the Indian company would be renamed as Hero MotoCorp Ltd and has been burning the midnight oil to create a new global brand image.

Bike India has now got details of the official unveiling that the Hero Group is planning next month. The company has chosen August 9, 2011 as the auspicious day for the introduction of the new brand identity. Interestingly, the venue for the event will be London, UK, a clear indication that Hero does not want to limit itself to just the Indian sub-continent, but wants to be recognised as a major global player in the automobile industry. The auto major had expressed its desire to venture into several emerging markets globally. This is the first major step the company will be taking from the time it  announced that it would be going solo. Hero Group and Honda had signed an agreement in March 2011, whereby the Indian firm would pay the Japanese partner around Rs 2,450 crore till 2014.

Earlier this year, the company had hired global brand and innovation specialist Wolff Olins to create its new brand identity, and Law & Kenneth (L&K) as a creative partner to launch and establish the new brand for the company.

It goes without saying that when the unveiling happens in London next month, Bike India will be there to get you the LIVE updates.

 

Iron Woman – Sheeja Matthew

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Sheeja Matthew with her Harley Davidson 883Although the Harley Owners’ Group (HOG) has several active members from the fair sex worldwide, ladies and Harley-Davidson bikes were not synonyms in India – at least until now. Sheeja Matthew is the first lady in India to buy a Harley. Bike India talked to this proud owner of an Iron 883

A Place In Biking History
Sheeja Matthew, ‘the first woman to buy a Harley-Davidson in India’, has secured a place in the biking history books of the country. Married to a Bangalore-based businessman, who also happens to be an avid drag racer, Sheeja too is thrilled by speed. She has participated in several drag races herself and has even won two ladies class titles in the two-kilometre Nandi Hill climb race held in Bangalore.
This 34-year-old bike enthusiast has been riding her husband’s Yamaha RD 350 for over a decade and can now be seen cruising along on her newly acquired Harley-Davidson Iron 883. No wonder, her seven-year-old son is highly excited and likes being dropped to school on the Harley, which has made him popular at school. Sheeja is a self-proclaimed foodie and an avid shopper.

Here is an extract from the interview:

Sheeja Matthew with her Harley Davidson 883Bike India: You look very comfortable on a bike as big as the Iron 883. Which bike did you own before this? Do you still own it?
Sheeja Matthew: My husband owns a Yamaha RD 350, which has been with us for years. I have been riding it for over a decade now. The RD 350 is the bike to possess, but then you hardly get to see it now-a-days. And, yes, it’s going to remain with us for a long time to come.

BI: Many other big bikes are available in India now. Why did you choose a Harley?
SM: I grew up watching macho men riding Harley-Davidson bikes on television and in Hollywood films. It was always my dream to get my own Harley. The bike has such tremendous brand appeal, people on the road go ‘Wow!’ when they see it coming. When Harley-Davidson opened a showroom in Bangalore, I knew I should buy one. Actually, I wanted the one on display, but it cost about Rs 32 lakh (probably the Electra Glide). The Iron 883 suited my budget. I ride to and from work every day (a three-hour ride) and I needed a comfortable bike. This Harley fits the bill.

BI: It’s nice to see ladies on Harleys, but how did your family react when you decided to buy this bike?
SM: My husband is very supportive. He is a car and bike enthusiast himself and also a drag racer. I had a discussion with him and he agreed, because he knows that buying a Harley has been my dream for a long time. This is my birthday gift to myself. (The Iron 883 cost her about Rs 8 lakh and her businessman husband didn’t mind sharing 20 per cent of the burden.)

BI: There is a steady stream of exotic bikes heading for India. What will your next purchase be?
SM: Well, I am still basking in the glory that this Iron 883 has brought along. Maybe in the next couple of years I will plan an upgrade. As for now, I am planning to customise my Iron 883 with some H-D accessories.

BI: You’re everywhere in the media. How do you deal with this new-found attention?
SM: I didn’t know that I was the first woman to buy a Harley-Davidson in India until the company people told me. I had never dreamt of something like this. I have received thousands of messages and Facebook friend requests of late and I haven’t been able to keep up.

BI: Who gets greater attention? The Iron 883 or you?
SM: I don’t know…(giggles). I think people look at me and the bike. When I took it to work, half the office came down to the basement where the 883 was parked. They sat on it, took pictures and went on talking about it while I was happily showing off the bike.

BI: What would you like to say to other lady bikers?
SM: All I want to say is that they shouldn’t fear the odds. Buying a Harley-Davidson was a 15-year-old dream come true. Anything is possible. Just be independent and dream big!

Iron Woman – Sheeja Matthew

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Sheeja Matthew with her Harley Davidson 883Although the Harley Owners’ Group (HOG) has several active members from the fair sex worldwide, ladies and Harley-Davidson bikes were not synonyms in India – at least until now. Sheeja Matthew is the first lady in India to buy a Harley. Bike India talked to this proud owner of an Iron 883

A Place In Biking History
Sheeja Matthew, ‘the first woman to buy a Harley-Davidson in India’, has secured a place in the biking history books of the country. Married to a Bangalore-based businessman, who also happens to be an avid drag racer, Sheeja too is thrilled by speed. She has participated in several drag races herself and has even won two ladies class titles in the two-kilometre Nandi Hill climb race held in Bangalore.
This 34-year-old bike enthusiast has been riding her husband’s Yamaha RD 350 for over a decade and can now be seen cruising along on her newly acquired Harley-Davidson Iron 883. No wonder, her seven-year-old son is highly excited and likes being dropped to school on the Harley, which has made him popular at school. Sheeja is a self-proclaimed foodie and an avid shopper.

Here is an extract from the interview:

Sheeja Matthew with her Harley Davidson 883Bike India: You look very comfortable on a bike as big as the Iron 883. Which bike did you own before this? Do you still own it?
Sheeja Matthew: My husband owns a Yamaha RD 350, which has been with us for years. I have been riding it for over a decade now. The RD 350 is the bike to possess, but then you hardly get to see it now-a-days. And, yes, it’s going to remain with us for a long time to come.

BI: Many other big bikes are available in India now. Why did you choose a Harley?
SM: I grew up watching macho men riding Harley-Davidson bikes on television and in Hollywood films. It was always my dream to get my own Harley. The bike has such tremendous brand appeal, people on the road go ‘Wow!’ when they see it coming. When Harley-Davidson opened a showroom in Bangalore, I knew I should buy one. Actually, I wanted the one on display, but it cost about Rs 32 lakh (probably the Electra Glide). The Iron 883 suited my budget. I ride to and from work every day (a three-hour ride) and I needed a comfortable bike. This Harley fits the bill.

BI: It’s nice to see ladies on Harleys, but how did your family react when you decided to buy this bike?
SM: My husband is very supportive. He is a car and bike enthusiast himself and also a drag racer. I had a discussion with him and he agreed, because he knows that buying a Harley has been my dream for a long time. This is my birthday gift to myself. (The Iron 883 cost her about Rs 8 lakh and her businessman husband didn’t mind sharing 20 per cent of the burden.)

BI: There is a steady stream of exotic bikes heading for India. What will your next purchase be?
SM: Well, I am still basking in the glory that this Iron 883 has brought along. Maybe in the next couple of years I will plan an upgrade. As for now, I am planning to customise my Iron 883 with some H-D accessories.

BI: You’re everywhere in the media. How do you deal with this new-found attention?
SM: I didn’t know that I was the first woman to buy a Harley-Davidson in India until the company people told me. I had never dreamt of something like this. I have received thousands of messages and Facebook friend requests of late and I haven’t been able to keep up.

BI: Who gets greater attention? The Iron 883 or you?
SM: I don’t know…(giggles). I think people look at me and the bike. When I took it to work, half the office came down to the basement where the 883 was parked. They sat on it, took pictures and went on talking about it while I was happily showing off the bike.

BI: What would you like to say to other lady bikers?
SM: All I want to say is that they shouldn’t fear the odds. Buying a Harley-Davidson was a 15-year-old dream come true. Anything is possible. Just be independent and dream big!

Pulsar 220 in new colour scheme

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New Bajaj Pulsar 2011 - red and blackNow Bajaj gives its flagship bike a superficial upgrade

Looks like Bajaj is following the current trend to offer the same models with newer body-colour and graphics. A new lot of Pulsar 220s have hit the Bajaj showrooms sporting dual colour schemes and unfortunately with no changes in the engine specifications. All is not lost, as the new lot seems to be an attempt to make room in the Bajaj warehouse for the all-new Pulsar that the Indian firm has developed with its Austrian partner, KTM and is sheduled for a pan India launch in a couple of months.

We can wait to get our hands on the all-new Pulsar… till then feast your eyes on the latest colours of the current model. And before you say anything negative, check out Pulsar fan page on Facebook, where in just 20 minutes these pictures received over 500 likes!

New Bajaj Pulsar 2011 - red and black

Karizma R now in white

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Hero Honda Karizma R Spotlight WhiteHero Honda aims to spice up the bike with the new colour scheme

Karizma has been one of the most well-rounded performance bikes, below the rupees one lakh bracket. Since its launch in 2003, the bike has been getting regular upgrades and most of them have been superficial. Except the fuel injected version – ZMR which was introduced back in 2009.

Hero Honda Karizma Spotlight White

With competition getting fiercer in the small-capacity performance bike segment, Hero Honda has decided to give it’s 223-cc bike a white wash by launching it in a new Spotlight body colour. There is no change in the engine or other specs, as it produces 17.2 PS and 18.3Nm and is priced at Rs 85,143 OTR, Pune. We have to agree that the new shade does make the bike look good. But we can’t wait for a complete ramp up of the Karizma range.

For more information on Hero Honda Karizma R click here